Acura RLX History
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The Acura RLX is a full-size luxury sedan that replaces the old RL. It's better-equipped than the previous model, too, pushing this car and the entire brand upward in the luxury market.
As the biggest, most technology-rich offering in the Acura lineup, the RLX brings with it several new features that highlight its place in the brand. A new all-wheel-drive system with advanced torque vectoring will be the basis for an upcoming hybrid model, and it will come with four-wheel steering. The front-drive version, meanwhile, has rear-wheel steering, delivered by a pair of rear-wheel actuators linked to the electric power steering system.
See our 2014 Acura RLX review for pricing with options, specifications, and gas mileage ratings
Technology aside, the more luxurious interior of a more spacious cabin may be just as deserving of the new name. With 2 inches more in the wheelbase and 2 inches' greater width, the new car offers more cabin space in about the same length as the old RL.
Styling is attractive but hardly radical, with a typically aggressive Acura stance and a smooth arched roofline fronted by 'Jewel Eye' LED headlamps—framed in a dual-stacked array, with ultra-reflective optical lenses, that should be distinctive day or night.Power is provided by Honda's well-known 3.5-liter V-6, with the optional Sport Hybrid system adding a triple-electric-motor hybrid system and a lithium-ion battery pack. Two of the motors power the rear wheels, in the latest version of Acura's SH-AWD system--replacing the mechanical all-wheel drive of its predecessor, the RL. Anticipated fuel efficiency is in the range of 30 mpg combined. The Acura RLX will also come as a front-wheel drive model, with a 310-horsepower version of that V-6. A six-speed automatic with paddle shift controls and a sport shift mode is the only gearbox offered.
All RLX models will include both Forward Collision Warning and Lane Departure Warning, with Lane Keep Assist as an addition to the latter. Acura already says it expects top five-star scores from the Federal government's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the upcoming Safety Pick Plus status from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
The 2014 Acura RLX will come in five trim grades: RLX, RLX with Navigation, RLX with Technology package, RLX with Krell Audio package, and RLX with Advance package. The navigation system now includes surface-street traffic, and security features include stolen vehicle tracking, airbag deployment notification remote locking and unlocking, and 24-hour concierge services. Infotainment systems use both an embedded data connection and smartphone integration. The RLX will feature a next-generation AcuraLink Communication system, with dual LCD display screens, high-end audio, the Aha streaming-audio interface, and an expanded range of infotainment and connectivity features.
Pricing begins from just under $50,000, with top front-drive models retailing for more than $61,000. Hybrid versions arrive in the fall.
